Shaun Walmsley prison escape sparks manhunt after he’s freed by armed gang while leaving hospital and walking to MINICAB
Two armed men leapt out of car and held up guards before Walmsley, 28, made his escape in Liverpool
AN "untouchable" gangland murderer is on the run after being sprung from prison by an armed gang.
Drugs kingpin Shaun Walmsley - serving a minimum of 30 years for a drugs-related hit - was walking out of hospital with prison guards and heading towards a minicab when a car pulled up.
Sources said men armed with a gun, knife and pepper spray leapt out and held up guards before Walmsley, 28, made his escape in a gold Volvo.
Cops and Prison Service chiefs have launched an urgent investigation into the ambush in Liverpool.
A source said: "The officers involved are hugely shaken up but fortunately not hurt.
"There will be serious questions to answer about why a convicted murderer was travelling in a minicab in the first place."
Merseyside Police appealed for witnesses to the incident, which took place outside Aintree University Hospital, Fazakerley, Liverpool, at 3pm today.
But they warned the public not to approach the "dangerous" crime boss, who was only two years into his sentence at nearby HMP Liverpool.
Walmsley, from Walton, had only been jailed for life in June 2015 for the murder of drugs rival Anthony Duffy, 33.
Duffy had plotted to steal a £60,000 cannabis crop from Walmsley and his partner Christopher Kenny, also now 28, whose drugs empire stretched from Merseyside to Dover and Aberdeen.
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But the pair were tipped off and had their revenge.
They lured him to an ambush where Duffy was stabbed and slashed 28 times with a 10ins carving knife and died later in hospital.
Walmsley and Kenny planned to flee to Amsterdam after the murder but were arrested soon after when other gang members tipped off cops.
Both men got a minimum of 30 years, while two other men, John Hore, now 56, and Kirk Mello, now 23, got minimum life terms of 21 and 22 years.
Kenny and Walmsley lost appeals last year.
During that hearing, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave told the court the pair saw themselves as "untouchables".
A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "A prisoner from HMP Liverpool has escaped while on an escorted hospital visit on Tuesday 21 February.
"The offender involved is described as dangerous and police are advising the public not to approach him.
"We are working closely with the police and are urgently investigating the matter. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."
They lured him to an ambush where Duffy was stabbed and slashed 28 times with a 10ins carving knife and died later in hospital.
Walmsley and Kenny planned to flee to Amsterdam after the murder but were arrested soon after when other gang members tipped off cops.
Both men got a minimum of 30 years, while two other men, John Hore, now 56, and Kirk Mello, now 23, got minimum life terms of 21 and 22 years.
Kenny and Walmsley lost appeals last year.
During that hearing, Mr Justice Haddon-Cave told the court the pair saw themselves as "untouchables".
A Prison Service spokeswoman said: "A prisoner from HMP Liverpool has escaped while on an escorted hospital visit on Tuesday 21 February.
"The offender involved is described as dangerous and police are advising the public not to approach him.
"We are working closely with the police and are urgently investigating the matter.
"It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage."